Hyderabad: 35% of new mothers struggle to breastfeed, study finds

The lactation management centers were established to promote breastfeeding in a friendly environment at home, work, and public spaces

Hyderabad: Nearly 35 percent of new mothers are unable to breastfeed their newborns due to various reasons, data analysis at 5 lactation centers established at different locations in Hyderabad by voluntary organization Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) in collaboration with Wipro Care.

Out of the 35 percent, nearly half of them are unable to lactate at all while 30 percent of them have health issues due to which they are unable to breastfeed and 25 percent of them are unable to lactate because of frequent pregnancies, HHF on Monday said.

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The lactation management centers were established to promote breastfeeding in a friendly environment at home, work, and public spaces. To help mothers lactate better, HHF, which is organizing a series of awareness camps at the lactation centres to mark World Breastfeeding week between August 1 and 7, is providing nutritional support and counselling to new mothers.

Fortunately through this intiative, nearly 22 percent of the mothers who had problems are now able to breastfeed on account of access to better diet and counselling, says Mujtaba Hasan Askari of HHF.

The lactation Management centers are focusing on lactating mothers’ physical and mental health, family support, Nutrition and regular counseling, says Dr. Ameena Afshan, Community Medical Officer at HHF- Wipro Primary Health care center, Pahadi Shareef.